Always
by Jessica237
Summary: EC. "As long as you want me," he'd said. And for that, Calleigh had only one reply. Post 7x14.


**Title: **Always**  
By:** Jessica**  
Pairing:** Eric/Calleigh**  
Rating:** T**  
Timeline:** Post 7x14; "Smoke Gets In Your CSIs." Contains spoilers.  
**Summary: **"As long as you want me," he'd said. And for that, Calleigh had only one reply.

**A/N: **I wasn't going to, but then someone told me that I would not be able to resist writing a post-ep for this episode. To my brief disdain, said person was correct, lol. Actually, to be honest, it's been awhile since I've enjoyed writing a fic like I enjoyed writing this one, so hopefully it'll prove to be a decent read for the rest of you. Enjoy. :)

* * *

If Calleigh had thought there was _any_ possible way that Eric would let her go home alone once she'd been released from the hospital, she'd made no mention of that thought.

In fact, if he were bold enough to think it, Eric would say it was more possible that she'd wanted it all along. And he was all too happy with that thought, because there really _was _no way he was letting her go home alone. He'd be content to never let her out of his sight again, but that, at least, he knew _wasn't_ possible.

He'd take what he could get, though.

A small, blue teacup in his hands, Eric slowly made his way out of the dimmed kitchen – _her_ kitchen – and into the den where he'd left her before. It felt so natural to be here, in her home with her; in her kitchen, knowing where everything was and making her favorite soothing tea for her. It was almost as though he'd been living there himself for the longest time, even though he'd only been there a handful of times in the recent past.

But hopefully, that was soon to change.

He wasn't going to think about that now, though. For now, he had more important matters to take care of – he had _Calleigh _to take care of, and he was going to do just that, no matter how many halfhearted protests she made.

He found her curled up on the couch, a plush green blanket draped around her shoulders, covering her tiny, seemingly-fragile frame. The past few days had blindingly reaffirmed that fact to Eric, that Calleigh was just as breakable as the rest of them were, despite how much she tried to escape it, despite how much he knew she hated it. To be honest, he hated it too – he didn't like knowing that there existed anything that could tear Calleigh – _his _Calleigh – away from the bounds of life, away from him.

The thought still sent a jolt of fear rushing through his veins, and Eric wasn't sure whether he could ever look upon these past few days again without feeling that.

Pushing the thoughts and fears aside, Eric managed a smile as he approached her, scuffling his feet lightly on the carpet so as not to startle her. She glanced up to him, wearing the same smile she'd worn when he'd first found her awake, and that was enough to shift Eric's own smile from forced to effortless. "You okay?" he asked gently, holding the warm teacup out to her.

Gratefully, Calleigh wrapped her fingers around it, and Eric grinned again, catching a peek of his watch on her wrist as she lifted the tea to her lips. For much of the past two days, it had resided there, safely upon her wrist – a lingering reminder that he was there, that he would always be there. She hadn't tried to give it back, and Eric hadn't asked for it back – it was just a watch. The expense meant nothing to him, especially since he knew the caring hands in which he had placed it.

And really, Eric would rather that she keep it. After all, he _did_ still have her cross.

The memory tugged at his heart, and slowly he lowered himself to the couch next to her, elated to not feel the characteristic tensing of her body. It just wasn't there; she didn't attempt to put distance between them, nor did she attempt to push him away or hide away from him. She seemed comfortable; as though this closeness, their new closeness, was finally natural to her.

Closing her eyes, Calleigh took a deep sip of her tea, feeling its warmth spread throughout her body, warming parts that had seemed to be numb since the first breath she'd been unable to take. For two days she'd stayed in the hospital, finally breathing on her own, but not allowed to do much else on her own for fear of exerting her healing lungs. But that was okay, really; there was a certain intimacy involved when it came to Eric sitting on the edge of her bed, gently spooning her bites of the pint of fudge ripple ice cream he had brought her.

Just the thought made her smile wistfully, overcome with gratitude to him. "Thank you," she murmured finally, leaning forward to place her cup on the coffee table. "For…everything."

Eric smiled, watching as she reclined once more, squirming in an attempt to make herself more comfortable. "You're welcome," he replied quietly, reaching out to brush a strand of blonde back from her angelic, yet still pale, face. "Always."

He watched her squirm for a few moments more before taking matters into his own hands. She still had to be sore, what with all the tubes and wires and the general roughness with which she'd been handled – well, in _his_ opinion, at least. And plus, she still didn't need to be exerting herself, even just to find a comfortable position.

Letting out a breath, he leaned back into the couch, opening his arms to her. "Come here," he murmured, smirking at the look of surprise in her eyes. "I'm not going to let you squirm around and strain yourself just trying to get comfortable," he explained, grinning. "You heard what Alexx said."

Calleigh sighed. "I know; she only said it about fifty times…"

Eric chuckled. "Exactly. So just trust me," he said, beckoning to her once more. But whether it was for his own benefit or hers the most, he wouldn't be sure.

She bit at her lip, but to Eric's elation, she obliged him. Maneuvering herself in a way that would've been awkward for anybody but perpetually graceful Calleigh, she slid her body closer to him, relaxing enough to nestle into the warmth of his body. His arms closed around her, and as she tucked her head beneath his chin, she knew that was more comfortable than any position she could've found alone. With a deep sigh, she wrapped her blanket tightly around her middle, closing her eyes as she relished in the feel of Eric's arms around her. It felt…wonderful.

Eric had no idea how long he just held her like that, stroking her hair, her back, feeling her nestled against him. It felt so perfect, and Eric couldn't fight back the shudder that coursed through him as he realized once more how close he was to losing that, to never feeling it at all. And every time, it hit him like a bag of bricks to the chest – he doubted the pain, the shock was ever going to get less intense.

Blinking rapidly against the prickling pain in the corners of his eyes, Eric took in a deep, steadying breath, tracing a small heart along her back with the pad of his ring finger. He'd fought them for much of the past couple of days for Calleigh's sake, but now that he was alone with her in his arms with darkness rapidly falling around them, Eric couldn't help but fall victim to his emotions – he'd built up quite a few repressed feelings during her recent ordeal.

He pressed a gentle kiss into her hair, letting his lips linger as he whispered a quiet request. "Can I tell you something?" If possible, he held her even closer, almost as though afraid that it might be the last time. That was a fear that he couldn't soon put behind him – any point in their lives, in their relationship, anything could be their last. If he hadn't realized it fully after his own shooting, then it was blindingly clear to him now.

Closing his eyes, he waited to feel her slight nod before continuing. Even though it had been two days, it still wasn't something he found easy to think about, let alone vocalize. Just the memories put a lump in his throat, a burning ache in his eyes – both of which he attempted to push away without much success. "I don't think I've ever been more scared in my life than I've been these past couple of days," he admitted, burying his face against her hair.

His voice was strained with emotion, and Calleigh found herself snuggling closer to him, in an effort to comfort him just as much as he comforted her. "Eric…"

He swallowed hard, the hand that stroked her back trembling with the emotion of his confession. "When – when you collapsed, right there in my arms, I just…I was _terrified,_ Cal. I just knew I was losing you, and I can't – I can't even _begin_…"

Unable to finish, Eric trailed off, holding her just a bit tighter. "I can't even say it out loud…"

The frustration was plain in his voice, and Calleigh wished for a moment that both of his arms weren't around her, just so she could reach for his hand, lacing their fingers together. "It's over, now," she murmured, though really she was unsure of who she was trying to convince – she felt she needed that reassurance just as much as Eric did. "I'm okay, really…"

"But I'm not." He paused, and Calleigh nestled closer to him, remembering that day almost a year ago that he'd made a similar revelation, leading to a night somewhat similar to this. "I'm not okay; I don't think I'll be _okay_ for quite some time…" Pausing again, he fought with the sudden constriction in his throat, unable to clear it. "I just…losing you is _not_ something I can handle," he whispered, his voice thick with emotion. He gave a rueful chuckle, though his pain shined brightly through. "And I thought losing you to Jake was bad…"

He shook his head, biting hard at the inside of his cheek, hard enough to cause physical discomfort, welcomed physical discomfort. "Watching you rushed into the ER on that stretcher…that's not something I can live through seeing again. They were all moving so fast, so frantically, almost as if they didn't really know what to do for you…" Swallowing hard, he took a few deep breaths before continuing. "I felt so…so useless. I couldn't do a thing for you, and that nearly killed me. And they were so _rough_ with you…all I wanted was jump in there and hold you, because I _knew_ they were hurting you, even if they were just trying to help. And, to be honest, I think Alexx was about to forcibly remove me from the room herself," he added, the only thought of the entire ordeal that brought a flicker of an amused smile to his lips.

Tilting her head, Calleigh squirmed out of his embrace just enough to look up into his deep, emotion-filled eyes. "Why?" she asked quietly, finding herself surprised at the redness, the glassy look in his eyes.

He licked his lips, attempting to moisten them. But since his entire mouth had gone like cotton, it was a task that Eric found nearly impossible. "Because I wouldn't leave you. I _couldn't_ leave you, and when they finally kicked me out, I just…I was terrified that you were going to slip away and that – that I wouldn't be there…"

Calleigh felt her heart all but stop as the first tear escaped from the corner of his eye. A trembling hand she extricated from the blanket, and without even thinking she reached up, gently brushing her thumb over his cheekbone, wiping away the single drop of moisture. "Eric…"

His lips tugged upward, and the motion was so captivating to Calleigh that she couldn't help but trace her thumb downward, brushing the pad just ever, _ever_ lightly over his bottom lip. The motion felt almost surprisingly natural to her; watching her thumb so intimately caress his lip didn't shock her, not at all. The shock, however, came when Eric's fingers gently wrapped around her hand, his own thumb softly stroking her palm.

And then, Calleigh couldn't help the way her breath caught as he held her hand there and pursed his lips, pressing the softest of kisses to the pad of her thumb. She murmured his name as he did it again, and then once more. "I don't know what I would've done if I'd lost you," he breathed, his lips touching a little farther down her thumb, and Calleigh suddenly felt dizzy. So dizzy, but thankfully not from lack of oxygen this time. No, this was a dizziness she would happily feel.

The kisses continued downward, like feathers brushing along her skin. Along her thumb, over her palm and downward, and with one last lingering kiss to her wrist, Eric opened his emotion-filled eyes once more, and Calleigh had no option other than to lose herself in those dark pools. She felt as though she could see directly into his soul; his still aching, still frightened soul. The depth of that consuming fear was there in his eyes, and Calleigh shivered, unable to think of a single soul who had felt that kind of heartache when it came to her. Not Jake, not John, not anybody with whom she had a romantic history. And yet, here was Eric, with whom her history had – to this point, at least – been completely platonic, and suddenly there was no question about it: had she died from this, it would've killed Eric as well.

And suddenly, Calleigh felt inexplicably guilty. She'd put Eric through that pain, through that fear. It had been her insistence to be a perfect CSI and save the body – the _dead_ body – that had left her clinging to her own life, and Eric clinging to his own sanity. And even though she knew Eric would immediately tell her that it was _so_ far from being her fault; that it was the _last_ emotion she should be feeling, Calleigh couldn't help it. It coursed through her veins, chilling the farthest reaches of her body before settling in her stomach like a cold block of ice.

Gently she extricated her hand from his, though immediately she missed the warmth of his touch – fingers and lips. "I'm sorry I scared you," she mumbled, finding herself unable to meet his gaze any longer. Shifting against him once more, she tucked her head back beneath his chin, feeling the erratic beat of his pulse point as she nuzzled against him. And Calleigh would never know what exactly made her do it, but as she found herself overcome with such a deep need to comfort him, to be there for him as he was for her, she tilted her chin just slightly, just enough to brush her lips lightly along his throat, over his raging pulse.

To her relief, Eric gave a quiet chuckle, and the hand at her back moved upward, gently stroking her hair. "Just…just try not to do it again, okay?" he requested lightly, and Calleigh had the distinct impression that the emotion of the moment had become a bit too much for him.

"I'll try not to," she replied with a quiet chuckle of her own. "It's not like I'm in any hurry to get back to the hospital, after all." That much was definitely true. During the long hours of the past couple of days that she hadn't been sleeping – or watching Eric sleep in the dreadfully uncomfortable chair by her bedside – she'd passed the time by merely watching the time. The seconds ticked by oh so slowly, and it seemed all that kept her sane was watching them tick by on Eric's watch.

He'd wanted her to know he was there, and the thought still made her heart swell almost to bursting with emotion. She couldn't help herself – with the lightest of touches, she pressed her lips back to his throat, brushing lightly over his pulse point once, twice, and a third time, feeling more than hearing the way Eric's breath hitched. "Can I ask you something?" she asked after a long moment, long enough for Eric's breath to even out once more.

"Of course you can," he breathed, twirling a lock of golden blonde around a finger. "Anything."

Calleigh nodded, watching the way his chest rose and fell with his breathing, finding herself suddenly entranced by it. "Did you mean what you said to me?" she asked softly, her voice barely above a whisper.

And again, Eric had a pretty good idea of what she was talking about, but then again, he'd said so much to her – as she was laying there, almost lifeless, there were few words that hadn't escaped from his lips. His feelings, his thoughts, random medical jargon that he felt she needed to hear, his quietly whispered pleas…he wasn't sure how much of that she had heard after all. Clearing his throat quietly, Eric gave up – it would be some time before that lump was gone. "Which part?" he asked softly, and by the quiet shake of her breath – a voiceless chuckle – he was certain that Calleigh knew that he knew what she was asking.

Still, she humored him. Taking in a deep breath, Calleigh steadied herself, knowing she might be jumping in over her head with this one. But if what she knew now was any indication, if she did get in over her head, Eric would help her out again – she was still quite reluctant to say _save her_, but then again, Calleigh doubted she'd ever consider that phrase. "About living your life…without me," she clarified sheepishly, the words sounding so much heavier outside of the dreamlike state she'd been in when she'd heard them before.

They'd sounded so far away, and yet so close at the same time. It had felt as though Calleigh were floating, but she was unsure if it was because of medication, or euphoria. Maybe both – she'd wanted so badly to wake up for him then, but she'd been kept under by a force she could not conquer. Everything he'd said to her – it was what she'd _wanted_ him to say to her in the atrium that day, the day she'd come out and directly asked what he wanted.

For a long moment, Eric was silent. But when he finally spoke, his voice was full of the emotion that had lit up his face as he'd walked into her hospital room and found her awake. "Every word," he said, his confirmation bringing a smile to Calleigh's lips. "You mean so, _so_ much to me, Calleigh. I honestly don't have a clue what I would do without you in my life."

His words went straight to her heart, filling it with a light, bubbly feeling that she'd never felt before with anybody else. Her own emotions were ripped to pieces, considering the ordeal she'd been through, along with the aftermath, and now this, here and now with Eric. She was open, completely raw, and while she wasn't ready to say it out loud, she knew within her that she felt the same for him. Without Eric in her life…she stopped that train of thought right there, knowing it was never something she wanted to think about again.

But there was something she wanted, needed to get out in the open. Something that had filled her heart and mind for so long that she couldn't remember not feeling it. There was a connection between them, something that went so much deeper than what she'd tried to write it off as before. Even through all the time with Jake, there was just something between her soul and Eric's that wouldn't be silenced, no matter how hard she tried to silence it. And, only in the recent months had she truly discovered that she really _didn't_ want it silenced.

Calleigh breathed in deeply, relishing in his intoxicating scent. And before she could stop it, Calleigh found her mind inundated by the thought of herself wearing one of his shirts, having stolen it just to keep his scent, and him, nearby. She had to force it away before she spoke, though it was extremely difficult with him just _right there._ "We have something, don't we?"

The question came quietly, a soft whisper that Eric wasn't sure he would've been able to hear if not for the complete silence that surrounded them. And it was a question that made his heart flutter within his chest – was she asking what he thought she was asking? He couldn't be completely sure, but what else could she possibly mean? His arms were around her, and she nuzzled against him, her head tucked beneath his chin as their bodies seemed to meld together effortlessly, intimately. Eric swallowed hard, suddenly feeling a bit nervous, as nervous as her words had sounded. "What?" It was such a simple word, but Eric found himself forced to expend more energy than necessary just to get it to fall from his lips.

Calleigh sighed, a bit of a contented smile on her lips. Without even thinking, she slowly lifted her left hand, the one upon which still resided his watch. Hesitating for only a second, she rested the palm of her hand against his chest, just above his heart. She felt the beating, the steady yet accelerated beat of his heart. It was soothing, comforting, and Calleigh gave another soft sigh, knowing the answer to her question irrefutably. "We have…something," she repeated, her words more certain than the shaky question she'd posited before.

Turning his head, Eric pressed a soft, lingering kiss into her hair. "I think we've had something for a long time," he murmured after a long moment, the low rumble of his voice making Calleigh tremble in his arms.

Her heart was pounding in her chest, and Calleigh wasn't quite sure how healthy that was after the medical scare she'd had, but at the moment, she didn't really care. The cold block of guilt in her stomach had apparently melted into butterflies, if the sudden fluttering of anticipation were any indication. Her fingers trembled, and briefly she clutched them – one in the blanket, the other in the fabric of Eric's shirt.

And then, with a spark of courage she never thought she had, at least, not _that_ kind of courage, Calleigh shifted against him once more. She brought her head out from beneath his chin, meeting his eyes unwaveringly. The silent sense of understanding conveyed from their eyes in that moment showered Calleigh with the first real feeling of peace she'd felt since before all this had happened. Gazing into his eyes, she lifted a trembling hand, brushing her fingers along his neck and upward, tracing along his stubbled chin. "I – I think so too," she whispered, boldly tilting his chin just a bit, bringing their faces closer together.

Eric didn't reply – didn't have to. Everything, anything that he needed to say in response was conveyed within his eyes. He lifted a hand of his own, his knuckles brushing along the softness of her cheek as he tucked a strand of blonde behind her ear, reveling in the feel of…everything, really. The warmth of her skin, the softness of her hair, the way her eyes seemed such a deeper green than usual. Everything he felt right now – it was so different than _anything_ he'd ever felt for anybody else, _so_ different. In his mind, he had harbored doubts for the longest time – perhaps it was the bullet making him feel like this; perhaps he was simply reading far too much into the little things. But now, as he lost himself in her beautiful eyes, Eric knew for absolute certain what his heart had felt to be true years ago.

He _was_ in love with her.

He was _in love_ with her.

With _Calleigh_.

A wave of light dizziness fell over him as the realization crashed into him, and while he parted his lips to murmur her beautiful name, all he could manage was a silent mouthing of it. She smiled softly, and then so slowly she tilted her head, just slightly, but just enough to brush her lips over his for the first time. It was so light, so gentle and innocent that Eric wondered if it could _really_ be considered a kiss at all, and yet, it _far_ outweighed any other kiss he'd ever shared with anyone else.

It felt like a dream, to steal a few of Calleigh's words to him. The very best of dreams – light and airy, yet vivid enough that he would remember it for many years to come. And the best part was that it _wasn't_ a dream; it was just like a few of the dreams he'd had, but it was real.

And then, Eric stopped thinking. Stopped thinking and finally responded to her, kissing her softly in return, caressing her cheek with the pad of his thumb as she softly held his. Their lips mingled slowly, sharing kisses without any sense of hurry or desperation, because if ever anything had been conveyed in just one kiss, it was that there would be plenty of time for more. Plenty of time for hurriedly passionate kisses; plenty of time for wandering hands. Plenty of time in the future to discover the feel of their bare skin against one another; plenty of time for Eric to discover all the little kissable spots on her body that made her sigh in pleasure.

In the future, they would have plenty of time for all that, but for now, this was enough. Just the gentle mingling of lips, the occasional brushing of tongues, the slow interweaving of two souls that had long been destined to find each other.

She tasted so much sweeter than he'd ever been able to dream; her lips were so much softer than he'd ever been able to imagine. It was enough to make Eric's head spin, but he'd be damned if he gave it all up just because of a little dizziness. If anything, the vertigo made it all the more euphoric. It was all utterly addictive, from the physical feel of her lips against his to the unique taste of her, and it was right then and there that Eric knew - if it were physically possible, he could easily kiss her forever like this. Could, and _would._

He was so slow, so careful with her, and Calleigh couldn't help but smile against his mouth. Eric knew exactly what she wanted, what she needed, and made no move to push it beyond that. The slow dance of their lips had her falling, freefalling from a cliff atop which she'd been poised for quite some time. And while she knew exactly what she was falling into, there still remained that part of her – however small though it was, now – that was still afraid of acknowledging it.

But right now, she didn't have to acknowledge it. Feeling it was enough, and she shifted her body, wanting to feel more of him, more of that emotion that had enveloped her long before their mouths had come together. But along with all that came another feeling, a more physical, even painful feeling, and not even Calleigh was immune to that, not right now. Her brain didn't interpret the lack of oxygen as a dizzy high; she didn't get the spots dancing in front of her eyes, nor did she get the subtle burning in her lungs.

What she got instead was an intense, almost _fiery_ ache in her chest. It came on suddenly, and Calleigh couldn't help but whimper against Eric's mouth, her heart still unwilling for them to part.

But her whimper, while quiet, wasn't silent. As soon as it reached Eric's ears, he tenderly parted from her lips, finding himself suddenly dry-mouthed as he opened his eyes. Calleigh's cheeks were flushed, her eyes closed, her lips parted, and all he wanted to do was capture her lips again, and again. But as the erratic heaving of her chest made itself known to him, Eric frowned, gently stroking her cheek. "Calleigh?"

Ever slowly, her eyes fluttered open, and the depth of emotion that Eric found within them left his heart fluttering once more. "I – I'm fine," she breathed, wincing as she rested the side of her head against the back of the couch. She grinned slightly, breathing in deeply. "I just need – to catch my breath, that's all…"

Under any other circumstances, Eric would've grinned from ear to ear at the thought that he'd taken her breath away. But right now, there was a deeper concern than that. "Does it hurt?" he asked softly, ignoring the customary answer she'd already given to his inquiry.

Calleigh breathed in deeply, closing her eyes for just a moment. "It…burns," she admitted, bringing a hand to her chest. "It's getting better now, though," she insisted, opening her eyes to the concern in Eric's gaze. "Really. I just…I guess I shouldn't _not_ breathe like that," she quipped, chuckling lightly.

And then finally he smiled, leaning in to brush a light kiss along the corner of her lips. "I'd say that's a good idea," he murmured, his breath warm against her skin. "I know something else that's probably a good idea, too," he added, teasing her with his seductive tone.

"What's that?" Calleigh breathed, and Eric's answer was not what she'd expected, though probably what she _should've_ expected, as well as she knew him.

He grinned. "You should get some rest," he said, his eyes darting around the quickly darkening den. The sun had fully set by now, leaving only just the slightest twinge of twilight in the western sky. He turned his eyes back to Calleigh, unable to hide a chuckle at her pout. "I'm serious. And, you should _probably_ get that rest in your own bed, especially since I know from experience how bad this couch is for your back."

And there was a memory Calleigh remembered all too well – yet another that was so long ago, and still felt like the very recent past. "Okay, maybe you're right," she conceded easily, though she stifled the yawn that threatened to overtake her. She still had not regained all her energy, and the emotions she'd just shared with Eric had all but drained her completely.

"Of course I'm right," Eric quipped, and before Calleigh could reply, he'd hopped up from the couch, a grin on his lips as he leaned down and eased his arms around her light body, one under her knees, the other at her back.

And, as he'd expected, Calleigh tensed, but Eric didn't let that stop him from achieving his objective. Ignoring her startled gasp, he gently lifted her into his arms, holding her tightly against his body. And Calleigh protested immediately. "Eric!"

But Eric only grinned, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead. "You heard what Alexx said," he admonished playfully, chuckling at the way her eyes narrowed. "You're supposed to be taking it easy for a few days, remember?"

Calleigh huffed. "If I recall correctly, I walked all by myself from the car to the door, and then all the way from there to here," she pointed out, even though she knew it was a fruitless argument. The grin on Eric's face suggested that he loved every second of this, and if Calleigh were being honest with herself, there was nothing she didn't love about being held by him like this. But still, that wasn't the point.

"Just humor me, okay?" Eric murmured, smiling softly. "Let me take you to bed."

And if those words were enough to soften her defenses and turn her into putty in his hands right now, Calleigh couldn't imagine what they would do to her under another circumstance, _that_ other circumstance. Even now, hearing them left her shivering and giving in to his innocent desire with a smile on her lips. "Okay," she murmured, resting her head against his shoulder as he began to walk. They had reached the doorway of her bedroom before Calleigh found the ability to continue – he'd already carried her this far, so he'd have no choice but to accede to her wishes. But then again, she kind of doubted that he'd say no anyway. "But only…"

Eric smiled, savoring the moment of carrying her across the threshold, already knowing that someday he'd do it again while Calleigh wore not a comfortable pair of sweatpants and a tank top, but an elegant white dress paired with a smile that made her entire being glow with radiance. "But only if what?"

Sheepishly Calleigh bit at her lip, waiting until he'd tenderly laid her down on the bed before continuing. She grasped his hand, tugging gently toward her. Her request still seemed so foreign to her own ears, to her mind; and yet, it felt only natural to her heart. Making her intentions clear, she shuffled her body toward the center of the bed, making a space for him right next to her. "Only if you'll stay…"

The smile that Eric gave in response was enough to melt Calleigh's heart completely. He gave a low chuckle, kissing her forehead again before lowering himself to the bed beside her. As soon as he pulled the covers up around them, he found himself almost overwhelmed by that unique scent of hers, something vanilla, maybe coconut, whatever it was, Eric could only place it as completely, uniquely Calleigh. It was by far his new favorite scent, and as he lay his head down, he felt it surround him. And yet, he still knew he'd never get enough of it.

Quickly he made himself comfortable before opening his arms to an expectant Calleigh. "As long as you want me," he murmured, repeating the answer he'd given her just days before.

Without hesitating, Calleigh nestled her body against his, pressing a lingering kiss to his lips before tucking her head once more beneath his chin, knowing that was a more comfortable place to rest her head than any pillow could ever hope to be. Rather boldly, she snaked one leg between both of his, only knowing that she wanted to be as close to him as possible. And very little felt as natural to her as the feel of their entwined bodies together in the solace of her bed.

His arms surrounded her protectively, tenderly, and Calleigh closed her eyes, feeling a sleepy, contented smile tugging at her lips. Eric's reply to her request echoed softly in her ears, and Calleigh reached over him, laying a gentle hand just above the beat of his heart, knowing without a doubt both the truth of his words, and the absolute, undying certainty of her own whispered affirmation.

"Always."


End file.
